A sudden incident on Wednesday raised national concern after significant sections of the Constitution Annotated website went missing from Congress.gov. Key parts of Article 1—Sections 9 and 10, and a major portion of Section 8—quietly disappeared, sparking confusion and outrage online. These sections include core legal protections, such as the Writ of Habeas Corpus, which guards citizens from unlawful detention. The missing content was later restored, but not before triggering widespread suspicion and serious questions about digital transparency.
Vital Constitutional Powers Were Gone
Section 8 outlines powers granted to Congress. Section 9 limits those powers. Section 10 restricts the states. These sections are not minor—they form the structural balance of power in U.S. governance. Most notably, Section 9 contains the Writ of Habeas Corpus, stating:
“The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.”
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This clause recently gained attention after White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller said the Trump administration was “looking at” suspending the writ for migrants on grounds of an “invasion.”
Reddit Users Sounded the Alarm
Reddit users noticed the omissions first. On r/Military and other subreddits, users questioned whether this was a technical mistake or something more deliberate. One post read, “They must think that removing those portions from their own site changes the Constitution.”
Another user suggested it may have been a coding failure, writing, “Somebody kicked a plug out of a Congress.gov server,” later clarifying they meant a technical mishap. However, others insisted the act appeared intentional.
Library of Congress Admits Error
The Library of Congress addressed the issue around 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), it said, “We’ve learned that this is due to a coding error. We have been working to correct this and expect it to be resolved soon.”
By 3 p.m., the missing portions were fully restored. The library acknowledged the public’s quick response and said, “Upkeep of Constitution Annotated, and other digital resources is a critical part of the library’s mission.”
Transparency Concerns Persist
Though the problem was fixed, many remained concerned. MediasTouch News warned the incident, regardless of cause, “raises serious transparency concerns.” The White House offered no comment when questioned about the glitch. The temporary removal had no legal effect, but it exposed just how vulnerable public access to foundational documents can be—even in the digital age.
